PreK and Early Childhood Programming During Distance Learning 2.0

Early Childhood Education at Crystal Lake Education Center (CLEC)

UPDATE: Families participating in Early Childhood Education programming at Crystal Lake Education Center may choose to continue with Small Group/Hybrid in-person or move to online programming.

Wonder Zone Preschool-Age Childcare

For information on Wonder Zone Preschool-Age Child Care please see the Child Care during Distance Learning 2.0 page.

By providing the choice to continue with in-person classes in the Small-Group/Hybrid Model we will be able to better meet the developmental needs of our youngest learners, maintain an inclusive Early Childhood Special Education environment, and provide families with more learning and child care options aligned with state guidance.

All in-person options will continue to follow strict health and safety guidelines.
Families who choose not to continue in-person programming will be able to join one of our online offerings at any time.
CLEC will be closed to the public; meetings can be scheduled with staff via video conferencing, phone or in-person by appointment.
The CLEC Office will continue to be staffed Monday-Friday from 8:00-4:00 to support program staff and to coordinate contactless pick-up of class materials by parents.

*Please note that for all Early Childhood Programs, this situation can change or be put on pause without advance notice due to new/updated guidance, staff availability, or illness spread within a classroom or building.

For more information on Crystal Lake Education Center call 952-232-3000 or email Early Childhood Family Education & Screening Manager Cindy.Magnuson@isd194.org or Small Wonders Preschool Manager Lisa.Piller@isd194.org

Program-Specific Information

Early Childhood Family Education

ECFE will continue to hold in-person classes as scheduled in our Small Group Hybrid Model with smaller class sizes and limits on the number of attendees per family. (No In-Person classes during the week of November 30th.)
Families not wishing to attend in-person will have the option to join one of our online offerings at any time.
Families choosing distance learning can sign up for and pick up learning kits with hands-on learning materials at Crystal Lake Education Center or can opt to provide materials from home for projects and activities on the lesson plan for their class.
A limited number of tablets are available for students that are distance learning to check-out for families who request technology access.
Licensed Parent Educators are available to all Lakeville Area Schools families with children from birth to grade three, including expectant parents. They are available to meet with families virtually including 1:1 phone visits or video conferences during distance learning. Parent Education virtual classes will be held using WebEx.

For more information on Early Childhood Family Education call Early Childhood & Family Education Manager Cindy Magnuson at 952-232-3014 or email ECFE@isd194.org

Early Childhood Screening

Virtual Early Childhood Screenings will be offered with guidance provided by the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Education.
Beginning November 30th, Early Childhood Screenings will take place using electronic forms for parents to report on development. Phone summary conferences will be held to go over the information with parents.
The most up-to-date information on Early Childhood Screening can be found on our webpage.
To schedule an Early Childhood Screening please enter your information using this link to the Lakeville Area Schools Early Childhood Screening Request. One of our team members will contact you after receiving your information.

For more information on Early Childhood Screening call 952-232-3000 extension #3 or email ECScreening@isd194.org

Small Wonders Preschool

Small Wonders Preschool will continue in the Small Group Hybrid model to align with developmentally appropriate learning needs and family demand.
Typical group sizes of 9 students.
Families preferring a distance learning option can do so and receive learning materials and virtual support.
Instructors will provide a monthly calendar and monthly learning plans for families ahead of their scheduled classes.
Families choosing distance learning can pick up learning packets with hands-on learning materials at Crystal Lake Education Center or can opt to provide materials from home for projects and activities on the lesson plan for their class.
A limited number of tablets are available for students that are distance learning to check-out for families who request technology access.
Monthly tuition will continue to be collected one month in advance. Tuition received later than the 10th of each month will be assessed a $25 late fee. Small Wonders requires a 30 day written notice when withdrawing a child from the program.

For more information on Small Wonder Preschool call 952-232-3013 or email Small Wonders Preschool Manager Lisa.Piller@isd194.org.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)

All students receiving ECSE services at the Crystal Lake Education Center will have the option of continuing to attend classes in the current model.
Some related services (speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy) may be provided to students in virtual (teletherapy) sessions for students attending classes in-person to limit the exposure and contacts of staff serving students across several classrooms.
Parents of students receiving ECSE services at the Crystal Lake Education Center can opt into Distance Learning provided by their student’s special education service providers.
ECSE Birth – 3 services will continue to be provided in a Distance Learning model per each student’s Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
During distance learning, ECSE staff may provide the following for students: live lessons, recorded lessons, and links to materials and activities on the learning plan through the Seesaw app and/or the Remind app.
ECSE (3-5 year old) students have been provided with a district iPad to be used for Distance Learning activities, meetings with ECSE staff and communication.
ECSE staff will communicate with parents via email, phone calls and virtual meetings regarding student progress and needs. Due Process (IEP and IFSP meetings) will continue to be held virtually via video conferencing.
During distance learning, families can pick up learning packets with hands-on learning materials at Crystal Lake Education Center or can opt to provide materials from home for projects and activities.

For more information on Early Childhood Special Education call 952-232-3011 or email Early Childhood Special Education Manager: molly.dexter@isd194.org

Distance Learning Overview

For those families who choose to participate in Distance learning, here’s what you can expect.

Distance Learning experiences for the day will be posted or communicated to students/families by 9:00 a.m. Weekly schedules (PLAY Plans) for the following week will be posted to families and students on Seesaw the last day of each week (Friday at 4 PM). This information may be subject to change and any changes will be communicated to students/families. This communication will provide a broad overview of what to expect for the upcoming week and will allow students and families to prioritize and plan their work. Teachers will check email and phone messages throughout the day during their work week and will aim to respond within 24 hours. Teachers are also available daily during dedicated office hours for any parent communication.

Helpful Links

Request a wifi hotspot
Tech Support
iPad Student Resources
Mental Health Support
Health and Safety Information

Lessons are designed to meet the standards for each age level as guided by Minnesota’s Early Childhood Indicators of Progress Standards. Learning experiences will be delivered to students in a variety of ways:

Daily live, virtual sessions conducted via WebEx (links posted in Seesaw)

Recorded, on-demand video lessons posted in Seesaw

Offline activities posted in Seesaw. Hands-on activity packets/kits created for families to use at home and to enhance virtual sessions

Students will experience a balance of learning experiences delivered both online and offline with some element of family control over time, place, and pace. Teachers will also provide individualized instruction and interaction to small/large groups of students through Webex learning sessions.

Schedule

All students participate in their class each day/time that they would attend in-person. Teachers will provide live session times and links to students/families. These scheduled times may vary by week.

Weekly Schedule

Students will attend classes on their normally scheduled days. The Early Childhood schedule includes a class meeting, literacy, math, integrated subjects (science & social studies), STEM, large motor, music & art. Students will have opportunities to do activities in all of these areas when they are in the distance learning model. Teachers will be available to students and families during posted office hours and by a scheduled meeting. Curriculum at the Early Childhood level includes both digitally delivered coursework, as well as hands-on materials. Each day Early Childhood students will have an opportunity to participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of live interaction with their teacher(s). These 30 minutes can be broken up into shorter sessions throughout the scheduled class and may be with the entire class, a small group, or one-on-one with their teacher(s).

Assessment

Teachers will continue to assess student progress using the assessment tool chosen by each program (DRDP, HELP, Pro-LADR). They will be administered in a distance learning environment. Teachers will use a variety of ways to assess students so they can show what they know.

Attendance

Attendance in Early Childhood is voluntary. Consistent attendance to the best of the family’s ability is important to maintaining social and emotional connections. Please let your teacher know if your child won’t be able to attend in any way for a scheduled day. If your child has been absent for more than three consecutive class sessions your teacher will reach out to you. Students will be marked present for active online engagement or direct interaction on a given day, such as:

Participation in a group interaction (WebEx)
Phone call or messages exchange between teacher and student or parent
Accessed Seesaw during the day
Completion of activities

Materials Pick-Up

Materials will be provided for at-home learning in all programs. Due to the expense and time it takes to prepare at-home learning materials along with the amount of waste generated by packets not picked up, families will be asked if they would like to pick-up a bag at Crystal Lake Education Center.

Contactless Pick-Up: Families may pick up the bag marked for them between 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. from a table in the entrance to Crystal Lake Education Center.

Classroom and School Supports

Social-emotional learning is a critical component for student success, regardless of the instructional model. Lakeville Area Schools is committed to the social, emotional, and behavioral success of all students, especially during this unprecedented time. We recognize your child’s success will result from positive and predictable environments that cultivate connection and sense of belonging, teach skills to build resilience and navigate uncertainty, and detect struggles as they happen.

We recognize students are experiencing a variety of feelings and thoughts about the adjustments they will experience this school year, which can result in disengagement. Throughout the school year, buildings will monitor student progress for signs of academic, social, emotional, and behavioral struggles. If we detect emerging concerns, we will work with students and families to identify effective strategies and supports that promote engagement and student success.